Fandom, When All Else Fails
by AuntieMars
Summary: When agent Rossi meets a peculiar teen-aged fan, how will the team react to her quirky self? I'm really bad at summaries, the story will hopefully he better than the summary.
1. Chapter 1

She waited quietly outside the building, knowing that her target would he coming outside any minute. She was too excited. If she got too excited, she would mess it all up. Then, she saw him. He came out the double doors, looking all around him before proceeding down the steps.  
She cleared her throat, then called out, "Agent Rossi?"

* * *

Spencer watched though the window as the girl talked to his teammate.  
"Reid, what is it?" a feminine voice came from behind him.  
He turned to look at her and cleared his throat before speaking. "That girl, the one who's been standing outside the building all day. She's talking to Rossi."  
"Probably a fan," she dismissed.  
He looked out again, "I guess."

* * *

"I read your books, I'm a huge fan. I read them when I was eleven though so I didn't really get it the first time but I reread them a couple of years ago and I just had to meet you," she managed in one breath, while shaking his hand vigorously.  
"Well," he smiled, "it's always nice to meet a fan. What did you say your name was?"  
"Oh right, I probably should've introduced myself. My name is Emily, I'm a student at the U," she explained.  
His eyes widened. "The University? How old are you?"  
"I'm seventeen, sir. I went to one, a couple, actually, of your recruitment presentations," she said with an awkward smile.  
"Would you like to come inside, meet my team?"

* * *

Aaron looked confusedly into the bullpen as his teammate walked out of the elevator with a young girl who couldn't have been over fifteen years of age. This assumption, of course, was made by her appearance. She was rather small, probably about five one, wore skinny jeans, and on top of all that, wore a Star Wars shirt that must have been at least three sizes too big for her.  
He walked out to greet the pair, along with the rest of his team.  
"This is Emily, what did you say your last name was?" Rossi looked at her questioningly.  
"My name is Emily Carter, I'm a student at the U," she looked at their expressions, each more surprised than the last, excepting the last, who happened to be the one and only Doctor Spencer Reid.  
Reid, the only one who wasn't too shocked to say anything, asked, "What are you studying?"  
"Well," she paused, looking at their surprised faces again, "I have an associates degree in mathematics and I'm currently taking abnormal psychology courses." They looked dumbfounded again, so, to ease some of their surprise, she said, "I've been in college since I was fourteen."  
"That's great," Reid said, still none of it getting to him. This kid was like a mini him. "Have you thought about what you want to do with your studies?"  
She looked around, eyeing each desk and deciding whose was whose. "This." She walked carefully over to the desk she thought was his, and asked, "Can I sit?"  
Aaron looked at her. "And why do you assume that desk is his?"  
"No paperwork."

* * *

"I like her," Derek said, watching though the conference room windows as she wandered around, looking under tables.  
"What is she doing?" the other Emily asked.  
"She's paranoid."  
The entire team looked at Spencer.  
"She's looking for microphones and cameras."  
"Rossi, man, why'd you bring her in here?" Morgan asked.  
"I want her to go on a case with us."

* * *

She stared intently at each corner of the room, looking for small holes where a camera could be placed. She knocked on each of the desks, checking if they were hollow and could have microphones in them. Her head snapped up as the door opened.  
"Miss Carter, if you could come into the conference room please."  
"Yeah, sure, I was just, um, yeah," she smiled an awkward, flat smile as she walked into the room.  
"I didn't properly introduce you to my team yet," Rossi smiled.  
"Can I guess?" she looked each person up and down. "Doctor Reid," she smiled, shaking his hand.  
"One point for Carter."  
"You must be agent Morgan," she shook his hand.  
"Can she go three for three?"  
"Emily, it's nice to see you again," she hugged the other Emily, leaving the rest of the team confused. "Our mothers were good friends when I was growing up."  
"One more and then she's got them all!" Morgan joked.  
"And, last but certainly not least, Aaron Hotchner," she smiled, shaking his hand. "Did I win?"  
"Emily, it's Friday, so we were going to go out to dinner, would you consider coming?"

* * *

**A/N So, I'm sorry if I misrepresented any team members and I'm sorry it's so short, but I just wanted to get it started. And just so you know, I already started on the next chapter. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N This chapter is something I'm not really used to. I'm trying writing in the first person. The entire chapter is in Emily's point of view, so I'm not gonna specify at each break. Anyways, please review! I mean, I won't cry or anything *sniffle* but pleeeaaasssseee?**

* * *

When everybody else places their orders, they all look at me.  
"Aren't you going to order?" Emily asks.  
Say something. Anything. "I'm not really hungry."  
They're all looking at me, judging me. They all think I'm sick. The waitress walks away, holding the little note pad with their orders on it.  
"And to think, Emily, that used to be you." Everyone looks at me again. "When Emily was my age, she worked at a little diner and my mom and dad and her mom and everyone would all go in on Friday nights just to bug her."  
"Okay, okay, but I did get like three times as many tips when I actually started following the dress code," she laughs.  
Another blonde woman, one I haven't been introduced to, speaks up. "Emily Prentiss you are in big trouble. Didn't even tell me you used to work at Rosie's."  
"How'd you know it was Rosie's?" Emily raises an eyebrow.  
"Garcia, no phones at the table," Aaron smiles.  
"I don't get it," Spencer looks at her.  
"Don't get what Pretty Boy?" Derek asks, and laughs when I look at him funny.  
Spender shakes his head, "The obsession with technology. I mean, why?"  
"I asked my friend the same question and he said, and I quote, 'My babies are so much nicer to me than people are,' apparently his computers are his babies," I say around a drink of water. "I think you'd appreciate his system."  
"Who is this fabulous tech friend?" she's really excited.  
"You probably know him. Kevin, Kevin Lynch?"  
She looks at me strangely, as does the rest of the team.  
"How does a seventeen year old have so many connections in the FBI?" Rossi asks.  
"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours," I quote.  
"Henry David Thoreau," Spencer elaborates.

* * *

"I'm gonna head home guys," JJ smiles as she gets up. "I've got boys at hone who need me."  
"And I've got exams Monday, so I should get home too," I look at all of them.  
Everyone starts to get up, but we all stop to look at Aaron as his phone rings. We only hear broken parts of the conversation. "Hotchner... Yes... Yes I understand... Thank you... We'll be there as soon as we can," he turns to the team. "We've got a case in Miami."  
"Okay, well, I'll see you guys around," I try to leave, but David gives me a strange look.  
"And where do you think you're going?" he asks.  
"Home?"  
He shakes his head and looks at me again. "You're coming with us."  
"Look," I laugh nervously, "I get that your team is kind of like a family, you can see that just looking at you guys, and if you grew up in a house like mine, you'd know that even the most welcome of strangers are intruders."  
"I think you're scared," Aaron says.  
"I'm not scared of anything."  
"I think you're afraid of the bodies. Of all the things that studying and watching horror movies can't prepare you for," David raises his eyebrows at me.  
They're challenging me.  
"I'm not afraid of anything at a crime scene."  
"Then what are you afraid of?"  
"You want to know what I'm afraid of? That's quite a list," I sigh. "But of you really want to know what scares me. If you really want to know the only thing that could possibly keep me out of the field right now. It's the victim's families."  
"I'll talk to them," JJ offers.

* * *

An hour later, I'm on a plane. This will definitely be a mistake. These people don't even know me, why bring me on a case?  
"Hey, little lady, c'mon," Derek says, wanting me to talk about the case with them.  
"We've got four victims, all female between the ages of thirteen and sixteen living in the Miami area. They were all taken Wednesday afternoon, parents said they were supposed to be out with friends."  
"So how do I get four teen-aged girls into my car?"  
"Offer them something they're not supposed to have," I offer. "All you have to do to get a bunch of teen-aged girls into your car is invite them to a party."  
"So that puts him around their age."  
"What's the cause of death?" Aaron asks.  
"Dehydration."  
"They weren't there nearly long enough for that."  
"Were any drugs found in their systems? Ecstasy specifically," I watch as everyone looks at me. "When combined with the hot crowded conditions usually found at raves, the stimulant effects of ecstasy can lead to severe dehydration and hyperthermia or dramatic increases in body temperature. This can lead to muscle breakdown and kidney, liver and cardiovascular failure."  
"You sound like Reid," Emily laughs.  
Spencer looks offended_. Is it really that bad to be similar to me? He doesn't like me. I knew it. They all hate me already._  
"Large traces of methylenedioxymethamphetamine were found in their systems. In other words, ecstasy."  
"Nice work Carter," Aaron looks at me seriously. "Okay, when we land I want Reid and Carter to head over to the coroner's and JJ and Morgan talk to the families while Prentiss and I talk to the lead detective. We'll regroup at the police station later."


	3. Chapter 3

The coroner's didn't yield anything particularly unexpected; ligature marks, empty stomachs and bruised ribs. That is, not to say that any of it was any less disturbing. I mean, it was pretty gross. The ride to the police station was even less unexpected. We were silent most of the time, and I'm no expert on Miami, but I think we're almost there.  
"Hey, Carter, can I ask you a question?" his voice jumps me.  
"I, um, yes?" I'm not really sure how to respond, and I'm almost afraid of what he'll ask.  
"What scared you so much about the families?"  
"You know what it's like to be the twelve year old senior in a public high-school, I know you do. And from what I've gathered your family life was a lot like mine. Dad out of the picture, mom who would forget to take care of herself without help. That was me. My only family was a group of older kids who looked after me when my mom had her episodes. And one day, I didn't have that anymore. The leader in our group, you know, the oldest and most responsible and motherly, was murdered. My only family crashed and fell apart because one family member was gone. And do you know who killed her? Henry Grace," I shake my head. "Your team brought the person who tore apart the only family I was willing to call my own to justice. So why am I afraid of the victims' families? Because I've been the victim's family."  
"Henry Grace killed your friend?" he seems to be in disbelief.  
"Beautiful, brunette, missing from Chester, Virginia and never found. She was twenty-three." I try to blink away the single tear that rolls down my cheek.  
Spender seems at a loss for words, "I didn't know. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—"  
"We're here," I say, wanting to change the subject.

* * *

Through the entire discussion, Spencer glances at me. I don't want him to feel so bad, he didn't know. How could he?  
"Fiona Blanchard's mother said she was a normal teen-ager: obsessed with her phone, friends, and boys."  
"Same as Charissa Gerald, Lily Harriman and Breanne Plozaj's moms."  
"So we've got exceedingly average teen-aged girls, what does that tell us?"  
"The UNSUB is a badboy?"  
A knock on the glass divider grabs all of our attentions, "We've got a caller who claims to be the killer on the tip line."  
"I want Carter to talk to him," Aaron says.  
"Why me? I don't know how to talk to an UNSUB!"  
"Do you know how to talk to a teen-aged boy?"  
"No," I cough. Everyone looks at me funny. "Being twelve in high-school, you don't learn how to talk to teen-aged boys."  
"Talk to him like you would your brothers."  
"I'm an only child!"  
"No you're not," Spencer looks at me seriously.  
"Fine," I take a minute to compose myself before—  
_"Hello?" a boy's voice comes through the phone. "I want to talk to that girl. The one with the feds. The real hot one."_  
"This would be she," I take a deep breath.  
_"Oh wow," he laughs. "I should've gotten you instead of them. You're probably a lot more obedient, aren't you?"_  
"I wouldn't count on that," I feel like I'm going to puke. "Who is this?"  
_"Whatd'you mean? You know who this is. I saw you earlier. You looked right at me."_  
"I don't remember that, could you remind me?"  
_"I was working, and you came in. You were talking about some kind of thing with some runt. Some tall kid, I could snap him like a twig. I bet you'd like to see that."_  
I put my hand over the phone, "How long do I have to do this?"  
"Fifteen seconds," Garcia whispers over the computer.  
"Why would you think that?" I ask, just trying to keep the conversation going.  
_"I can tell. Those feds might think you're innocent, but I could see it. You live for guys like me. You want somebody just like me who can prove you're not as innocent as you look."_  
"And what told you that?"

_"The way you looked at me. You wanted me. You wanted me to punish you because you know just how bad you are."_  
Am I crying? You've got to be kidding. I am so not... I am! Why the hell am I crying? I put my hand over the phone again and look back at Aaron. He nods and I give the phone to JJ. I find the nearest bathroom and my stomach lurches. What's wrong with me?  
"Are you okay?" Emily asks from behind me.  
"I'm fine," I say, stepping up from the floor.  
"Then what's this?" she asks. Why does she have to care so much!  
I shake my head as I take water into my mouth and spit it out again.  
"What did he say?"  
"He was talking about how 'bad' I am, he said I need to be punished. He said he could see it in the way I looked at him."

* * *

Since I don't have a gun, I had to stay at the police station. JJ kept him on the line, telling him that I would be back shortly. Soon he said that if she didn't put me back on the phone that he would hang up and get in his car and head to a buddy's where we couldn't find him. I could tell she was sorry when she asked me to get back on the line.  
"Hello?" my voice's shaky this time, now that I know what I'm getting into.  
_"Baby, I'm sorry I made you cry. I would never really hurt you. I thought you liked it."_  
"I know, I'm sorry."  
_"I'll make it all better when I see you again. And I'll share my Adams with you, if it'll make up for it."_  
"Is that how you killed those girls?"  
_"Aren't you proud of me?"_  
"No, I'm not proud of you. Those girls had families who loved them very much."  
_"But you don't."_  
Through the phone I hear Aaron, trying to talk him out of his house.  
_"Okay baby, my chariot awaits. Soon I'll be there to visit you."_  
"You'll be here, but you won't be visiting me." I finally hang up.

* * *

Spencer comes in first, to tell me that they have him. A few local police officers come in, too, and then finally Aaron. In front of him, wearing cuffs, is my little phone conversation buddy. And what does he do when he sees me?  
He winks at me.  
I flinch and Spencer and Emily guide me into the room where our phone conversation was held.

* * *

**A/N I think I will just forever switch up where the author's note is. Maybe next time I'll put it right in the middle of the story. Like, _"And inside the desk drawer, a note pad sits. When I open it to the first page, I see, in big writing, 'A/N Please review!'"_ What do you think?**  
**Anyways tell me how you liked the chapter in the reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

** A/N Hey there friend. So I was reading through the last chapter to see if it came out alright, but there are some formatting errors. Anyways, please review and tell me how you like this chapter. Let the drama begin!**

* * *

We decided to stay the night in Miami, seeing as it wasn't until nine o'clock that he was brought in, and I wasn't feeling well. There's a little internet cafe by the hotel where we're staying. After I was sure everyone was asleep, I came to the cafe and hooked up my laptop. I've been here for about three hours, typing all sorts of stuff, mostly psychology notes.  
"Can I get you anything?" the waitress, whose name tag calls her Sandy, asks.  
"Just coffee, thank you."  
I should probably head back soon, because I'll be with profilers all morning and I think they'll be able to tell I haven't slept. Sandy drops off my coffee and smiles at me.  
"Carter?"  
I look up from my laptop and see Derek. "Good morning."  
"What the hell are you doing here girl?"  
I look back at my laptop and take a sip of coffee. "I couldn't sleep."  
"How long have you been here?" he shakes his head.  
"What time is it?" I smile. "Come sit!"  
"I'm only here to get breakfast. Rossi's looking for you and it's wheels up at seven."  
"In the morning?" he shakes his head. "Tell him I'm here, I don't really want to go back to the hotel."  
"I will," he says as he walks out. "And Carter, good job."

* * *

The view is amazing up here. I'very never really been a big fan of flying, but this is pretty great. About half of the team is asleep, which is strange since they slept half the day in the hotel. The only people awake are Aaron, Spencer and I.  
"I heard you were at the cafe early this morning, when did you head out?" Aaron asks.  
"Probably around five," he looks at me strangely. "Okay eleven-ish."  
"When you were sure everyone was asleep." I nod. "And why weren't you asleep?"  
"My meds are at home," I look around. "Is there a coffee machine?"  
"How much coffee have you had today?" Spencer asks.  
"Eleven and a half."  
"It's over there," he points.  
I hear Aaron talking to him on the way there. "Why would you let a seventeen year old who's had eleven and a half cups of coffee have more coffee?"  
"I've had thirteen."

* * *

My dear friend Emily can be a pain in my ass sometimes. She had this great idea, you see. She said, "I say, everyone should just crash with whoever live closest." So not fair. I live about two miles from the building. I tried to protest, I even called for a rain check. But, long story short, everyone who doesn't have kids is now on their way to my house. I got the lucky straw and rode with Morgan.  
"So, your parents aren't gonna mind a bunch of FBI agents staying the night?"  
"My father would be ecstatic, my mother would have a panic attack, luckily, I don't live with either of them."  
"So, what, you live with your grandparents or something?"  
"I, as of earlier this year, am no longer in need of or in the care of a legal guardian," I say, and he looks at me strangely. "I'm emancipated."  
"Got your very own place? Lucky girl."  
"Not my very own, I do share it with a couple friends."  
"Who?" he squints.  
"You're not allergic to cats are you?" He shakes his head. "What about dogs?" He shakes his head again. "Then I think you'll get along fine."

* * *

"Stand back," I tell them as I open my door.  
A golden retriever bounds through the hallway and knocks my over. He licks my face like a million times before he realizes we have company.  
"This is Bo, he's my baby. And that," I point to a large grey cat, "is Ollie, whom as far as my mother knows, is my boyfriend." I walk into the kitchen and open a closet. Inside is a trash can, grocery bags, and one huge bag of dog food. I pick up both bowls and pour food in them, then put the down. "Make yourselves at home. Livingroom is over there, bathroom is down the hall to the left, and the fridge is right there." I press a button on the coffee machine and wait for the water to heat up. "And coffee is almost ready."  
"How can you drink coffee at eight PM?" Emily shakes her head.  
I open a cupboard above the stove and take out four orange bottles.  
"Watcha got there?" Morgan asks.  
"Ambien, Celexa, Dilor and Invega." I really hope they don't know what they're for.  
"So that's insomnia, anxiety, asthma," Reid starts. I look at him and practically beg him not to tell them the last one.  
"And?" Morgan asks.  
"I don't know." Reid swallows.  
"What?" Emily doesn't believe him. Of course she doesn't, he knows everything. "What's it for, Em?"  
I take them all and shake my head. "That's personal."  
"Em, you can trust me." I shake my head again and Morgan grabs the bottle out of my hand.  
"It doesn't say what it's for on the bottle Morgan." Reid tries to take it from him.  
"What is the big deal here?" he asks as he gives it back to me.  
I nod at Reid as I put the bottle back in the cupboard. "It's used, uhm, it's commonly prescribed for mental or mood disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder." He says, staring at his feet.  
"Em are you saying you have schizophrenia?" Emily asks.  
"Well," I rub the back of my head subconsciously. "I take all my meds and I'm fine, so—"  
"Emily Patience Carter you left your medication at home when we were in Miami. Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be out in the field like that?"  
"Shhhhhh, don't be so loud. Bo doesn't like when people yell."  
"Do not try to distract me. If I could ground you! Wait until your mother hears about this."  
"My mom couldn't care less Emily, this is something we know." I say, stifling a yawn.  
"You are staying with me until I can get ahold of your mother." She says, pacing.  
"You won't be able to do that," I yawn. "She's indispensable at the moment."  
"What do you mean?" Morgan asks.  
"I mean, Morgan, that my mother can't currently see anyone albeit behind glass." He still looks confused.  
"I think she means her mom is in prison," Reid says.  
"One point for boy genius!" I smile, taking a sip of coffee.  
Emily starts laughing like crazy, "Did you just a take a sleeping pill and then drink coffee?"  
"What have I done with my life," I laugh. Soon, we're all really quiet. "What time is it?" I whisper.  
"Like nine thirty."  
"Let's watch TV."

* * *

When I woke up, Emily was taking pictures. I thought it was kind of creepy until I realized how Reid, Morgan and I had fell asleep. I had my head in Reid's lap, while Morgan's head was on my shoulder.  
"Em," she whispers. "Happy birthday!"


End file.
